OECD to Japan's HE: Embrace the Change (for Change's Sake)

After being given still yet another 'Cook's tour', the OECD's neoliberal ad hoc panel left Japan with their typical neoliberal convictions further entrenched. Outside of such polite circles, talk is that the 'public' is now upset that with the 'big bang' reforms of 2004, surprise surprise, tuition costs went up at the former national and former public universities. And that the reforms have been nothing but an unmitigated disaster while at the same time the predicted demographic disaster has failed to materialize. But the neoliberals of the OECD will just say, "Ah ah, too little too late."  Another thing that is happening is that, with the LPD's fall from power, the Ministry of Education is in disarray (more than its usual disarray that is) and the former national universities are headed into financial and fiscal decline.

The full OECD report is available here. JPN HEO will try to analyze the report and write a review in the near future. 

http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/44/12/42280329.pdf

Excerpt one:

It is against this background that, on April 1st 2004, Japanese higher education underwent the kind of ‘big bang’ reform which was unprecedented. Though regarded with some hostility within the universities themselves, there was a widespread political and public sentiment that reform was overdue and that, in comparison with the higher education systems among Japan’s traditional peers in North America, Australasia and Europe, Japanese universities were falling behind. The reforms, at least in their intention, were fundamental and far-reaching. As a result, though a few years have elapsed since the reforms were introduced, their impact is still working its way through. Japanese tertiary education is still in transition. The desired benefits of the reforms are not yet secured and if they do not materialise, both political and public patience is likely to wear thin. There is a widespread demand that the tertiary education system become, via the modernisation agenda embedded in the reforms, more responsive, more agile, more globally competitive and accompanied by higher standards and higher quality all round.


Excerpt two:

In spite of the pace and scope of change in recent years, much remains to be done. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology begun to change from an organisation accustomed to exercising detailed managerial and financial direction of higher education  institutions into one that no longer does so. However, it has not yet fully worked out its new role within the tertiary system, nor has it fully equipped itself with the performance-based information and repertoire of incentives that it needs to monitor and shape the activities of newly autonomous institutions. And, for their part, some higher education institutions appear keen to operate as they long have done, holding fast to the Humboldtian vision of the university and to long-standing institutional practices - with respect to academic careers, to internal resource allocation, and institutional leadership.

As we have outlined in the report, we think university leaders and ministry officials have much to gain from embracing continued change; indeed, that it is the necessary condition for gaining wider public investment in the sector. And, we think that central government authorities and stakeholders outside of government have much to gain from enlisting their support. During the course of our visit we met with men and women - professors, administrators, and civil servants - who clearly grasped the new possibilities that deepened reform makes possible, and who are eager to press forward with change. Working together with patience, trust, and understanding they can ensure that Japan system of tertiary education stands as a model to the entire OECD, and, indeed, the wider world.

Plans for Manga Library Run into Trouble with New Government in Japan

It looks like Meiji University will become the host to the new manga library though.  


1. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gJAzSuC3AOKkfxHPbRwOEBevmQKg

Japanese university plans huge 'manga' library

(AFP)

excerpt:

>>  TOKYO ? In a move to promote serious study of Japanese manga, a university in Tokyo plans to open a library with two million comic books, animation drawings, video games and other cartoon industry artifacts.

Tentatively named the Tokyo International Manga Library, it would open by early 2015 on the campus of the private Meiji University, and be available to researchers and fans from Japan and abroad. <<

excerpt:


>> The former conservative government of Taro Aso, which was ousted in August elections, had earmarked 11.7 billion yen (128 million dollars) for a museum on Japanese cartoon art and pop culture to be built in Tokyo.

But the plan, part of wider stimulus measures, was axed by the new centre-left government, which criticised the construction as a "state-run manga cafe" that has nothing to do with boosting the economy. <<


2. http://www.exfn.com/manga-library-planned-for-japan


>> A Tokyo university is planning to open a library to promote serious study of Japanese manga comics.

The proposed Tokyo International Manga Library will house two million comic books, animation drawings, video games and other cartoon industry artefacts.

It is hoped the new library will open by early 2015 at Meiji University. <<

Setting the record straight on the language policies of JALT

Well, I've waited over ten years to get a serious response from Oda or Braine.

See:

Message 2: Response to Masaki Oda's chapter in Braine's new book



Date: Tue, 29 Jun 1999 16:49:03 +0900

From: Charles Jannuzi <[e-mail deleted]>

Subject: Response to Masaki Oda's chapter in Braine's new book


[On Monday, June 28, LINGUIST posted a review of George Braine's new book Non-Native Educators in English Language Teaching (Review by Mae Wlazlinski, LINGUIST Review, 10.999.) We received several messages with comments concerning the chapter by Masaki Oda and its topic of English centrism in Japan, specifically in JALT. The messages are included here and we open up discussion on the matter.] I am interested in this title--specifically in the Oda chapter. I have not read his chapter or the rest of the book yet, but I was involved unwillingly in forming Oda's scholarship on the languages of JALT.

There was a debate in the pages of 'The Language Teacher', JALT's monthly magazine, that Oda instigated. The discussion actually started when Richard Marshall pointed out that should JALT change to a bilingual (English and Japanese) official language policy, there might be a concern about JALT's international status in its publications and conferences (to some extent dominated by anglophone scholars who do not live and work in Japan).

It was a coherent argument put forward by Marshall, at least in my opinion, calling for caution on a switch to an official two-language policy, especially in light of the fact that not that many people are going to volunteer to translate and interpret for free and JALT doens't have the money to pay for it. JALT did enact a two-language policy. Oda responded to Marshall in the pages of TLT, accusing Marshall and the leadership of JALT of "linguistic imperialism" and "linguicism".

I responded in support of Marshall to this extent: I agreed that JALT should have a two-language policy, but that Marshall and the leadership of JALT were not linguicists or linguistic imperialists. I also pointed out that, since English-speakers are a clear minority in Japan and there are other language minorities here, a two-language policy of Japanese and English would not eliminate the language bias problem or other forms of prejudice ( many of such problems stem from English's minority status in Japan, in fact).. In other words, Japanese was potentially as much a language of discrimination as Oda perceived English to be.

Oda then reponded in this manner: he attempted to paraphrase both Marshall's views and my views as one conflated set of views and called me too a linguicist and linguistic imperialist. What's more, he seemed upset that I would call him a linguicist and linguistic imperialist because I had pointed out how Japanese had been a language of colonial, imperialist aggression and oppression. I never directly accused Oda of being a linguicist or linguistic imperialist (the terms are far too problematic for me to fling them around like that). I was myself upset that I had to continue this debate just to defend myself from such misrepresentation and abuse in print. I think had the editor of TLT read the entire exchange upon receiving Oda's second response, that response would never have been published.

My concern now here is that Oda has created some sort of fiction in the pages of Braine's book because he was upset and embarassed over the exchange in TLT. I will try to find time to buy and read the book, and if I find that Oda has done something that approaches a one-sided, skewed version of the debate in JALT about language just to serve himself and some sort of personal vendetta, I will seek recourse in print and possibly with legal measures.

ELT in Japan online publication now launched

Just to sum up the actions taken: I've decided to use the blog format to publish a 'practitioner journal' for those who teach EFL in Japan (and E. Asia).

The publication is located here:

http://eltinjapan.blogspot.com/

Here is the first issue's top feature:

http://eltinjapan.blogspot.com/2009/12/elt-j-issue-1-feature-article-ten.html

Here is a summary of what is in issue 1 and a list that links to all the articles:

http://eltinjapan.blogspot.com/2009/12/elt-in-japan-issue-1-december-2009.html

Here is a preview of future articles in the issues that will appear in 2010:

http://eltinjapan.blogspot.com/2009/12/preview-of-future-issuess-of-elt-j.html

TEFL FORUM: Issue 1 (December 2009) of 'ELT in Japan' (ELT-J)

http://eltinjapan.blogspot.com/2009/12/elt-in-japan-issue-1-december-2009.html

17 December 2009
'ELT in Japan', Issue 1 (December 2009)

These articles were first published at the related blog established prior to ELT-J, Japan Higher Education Outlook. .  These have been compiled to form the first issue of ELT-J.

The entire collection can be navigated from this page:

http://japanheo.blogspot.com/2009/12/tefl-forum-so-far.html

>> ELT-J Issue 1 Table of Contents <<

1. Proposes a more useful model/basic unit of phonology for EFL.

http://japanheo.blogspot.com/2009/12/facially-salient-articulatory-gesture.html


2. Looks at a literacy and phonology 'crutch' often used by Japanese EFL learners and relates it to standard concepts in ELT and EFL literacy.

http://japanheo.blogspot.com/2009/12/do-japanese-efl-students-need-katakana.html


3. Sums up ten major reasons why TEFL and EFL are so problematic in Japan and at Japanese universities.

http://japanheo.blogspot.com/2009/12/tefl-forum-ten-reasons-why-english.html

4. This is an article that is conceptually related to the article in item #2 on this list but comes at the issues from a different angle--that is, positive transfer vs. negative interference from the native literacy backgrounds of EFL students.

http://japanheo.blogspot.com/2009/12/tefl-forum-native-writing-systems.html

5. Looks at why TEFL/ELT/TESOL need a new approach to 'theory' and 'practice', where real theory emerges from real practice.

http://japanheo.blogspot.com/2009/09/breaking-down-theory-vs-practice.html

6. Questions the value of most academic research on ELT and FLL (e.g., 'SLA' research).

http://japanheo.blogspot.com/2009/06/why-is-research-in-elttefltesolalsla-so.html

7. An earlier version of item #3 on this list. Gives a briefer overview of the ten reasons and links back to the individual articles in which they were discussed in more detail.

http://japanheo.blogspot.com/2009/04/ten-reaons-why-english-education-in.html


8. Gives an overview of the many issues foreign nationals (e.g., 'native speakers of English) face teaching at the level of higher education in Japan, including TEFL at this level.

http://japanheo.blogspot.com/2008/03/teaching-as-foreign-national-at.html



Labels: AL, EFL, ELT, SLA, teaching English in Japan, TEFL, TEFL Forum, TESOL

------------------
Future issues will include articles on teaching vocabulary, pronunciation, and writing multiple choice questions. .
Posted by CEJ at 11:23
Labels: AL, EFL, ELT, ELT in Japan, SLA, teaching English in Japan, Teaching in Japan, TEFL, TEFL Forum, TEFL in Japan, TESOL

TEFL FORUM - Preview of future issues of ELT-J Online Magazine

These will also be announced in the TEFL Forum section of Japan Higher Education Outlook.

Preview of future issues of 'ELT-J Online Magazine':

1. Vocabulary activities for the conversation class.
2. Vocabulary activities for the writing class.
3. Teaching English /l/ vs. /r/ (applied phonology).
4. Introducing a different sort of audio-visual electronic dictionary for FL learning.
5. Variations of the multiple-choice vocabulary question for FL practice and assessment.

All these and more are under development for publication at ELT-J.

TEFL Forum - ELT in Japan Groups - Google Group

Join today.

http://groups.google.com/group/elt-in-japan

TEFL FORUM - ELT in Japan Groups - Yahoo Group

Join today.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/eltjapan/

Google Group for TEFL Forum

ELT in Japan

Visit this group

Japan's Government Says "Institutional Bottlenecks" Hinder Science Plan

Perhaps this helps explain why there are no Japanese universities in the THES-QS top 20 in 2009?  For example, the difficulties around foreign personnel who teach and conduct research continue. Also, the report cites an innovation--fixed term positions--as an improvement but if anything such contractual posts have helped contribute to instability in research and unfair treatment of foreign personnel, women and junior colleagues. 

http://www.mext.go.jp/english/wp/1260270.htm

White Paper on Science and Technology 2008 （Provisional Translation）

http://www.mext.go.jp/component/english/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2009/04/23/1260307_1.pdf


excerpt:

Elimination of Institutional Bottleneck to Dissemination of S&T Outcome
to Society

To create S&T-based innovation, it is necessary to ensure that research results achieved at
universities and other research institutions be steadily disseminated to society. Active exchange of researchers, smooth implementation of research activities, industry-academia-government cooperation, etc. have great effects not only on activation of R&D but on the return of research results to society and are the keys for enhancing effects of human and material investment on S&T. In order to realize this, approaches for elimination of institutional bottleneck in various aspects, such as the research exchange system, fixed-term system for researchers, independent administrative institution system, national university corporation system, and the intellectual property system, were performed to obtain significant progress. However, it is often said that there still exist institutional bottlenecks: emigration and immigration management of foreign researchers; working environment of female researchers who are involved in childbirth and child rearing; treatment of retirement allowance associated with movement between the research institutions; and fund procurement environment of research institutions have been identified. Among those, it is very important that elimination of institutional bottlenecks relating to clinical research involving clinical trials is pointed out. In our country encountering an aging society with a declining birth rate, which is the fastest in the world, clinical research involving clinical trials is the R&D means for realizing innovation leading to health enhancement of our nation and activation of the research is considered to bring great national benefits. It is essential to ensure that Japanese nationals can have earlier access to the world’s most advanced medical technologies; that the Japanese medical industry can aggressively pursue R&D activities and sharpen its international competitive edge; and that the health of the nation will further improve by
eliminating institutional bottlenecks obstructing research activities and promoting clinical research
involving clinical trials.